


To Put an End to Strife

by sevarix



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/F, Gen, M/M, Male My Unit | Byleth, Post-Timeskip, an attempted golden route, eventual dorogrid, eventual yurileth, yurileth
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:20:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 21,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28394511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sevarix/pseuds/sevarix
Summary: As the war drags on, Yuri loses hope for Fodlan, especially once a mad prince shows up on his doorstep. However, when an old friend shows up with an ambitious idea for a peaceful conclusion to the war, he begins to think that perhaps there is hope for Fodlan after all.
Relationships: Dorothea Arnault/Ingrid Brandl Galatea, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Yuris Leclair | Yuri Leclerc/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 37
Kudos: 34





	1. Chapter 1

Yuri hated the war.

It had gone on for nearly five years now, and still it was ongoing. He noticed how it really brought out everyone’s true character, good or bad, though recently he had only seen the bad.

Just like the slimy trader who stood before him now, who was by no means the only of his kind. People like him knew what people desperately needed and took advantage of it.

"Thanks for your business as always,” the trader said with a smirk.

Yuri said nothing as he turned to leave. If he could steal supplies from the nobility, he would, but unfortunately they kept their precious manors too well-guarded in times of war. Instead he had to resort to spending exorbitant amounts of money for essential supplies.

At this rate, the commoners across Fodlan would starve to death before the war ended. It only made him more annoyed. They had nothing to do with it, yet they suffered the most.

His thoughts were interrupted when he saw the Abysskeeper approach, his expression serious.

“Hey, boss. Got something for you.”

He nodded for him to continue, expecting only more bad news.

“So, you remember that rumor of the madman who slaughtered any imperial soldiers in sight?”

“Yeah. Hard to forget that one.”

“Well… turns out it really is just one guy. And not only that, but apparently he’s been captured by some kingdom knights. But get this, they were seen heading toward the _monastery_ of all places!”

Yuri frowned. There was not much left of the monastery save for an occasional group of bandits and some crumbled masonry. “Keep an eye out. Let me know if they actually make it.”

The Abysskeeper nodded. “Sure thing, boss. Also, there’s one more thing.” He frowned. “That scout who went to Enbarr…”

Yuri sighed. He had insisted on going, even though Yuri knew it was probably too dangerous. He only wished it had ended differently. “Thanks for telling me.” 

The Abysskeeper gave him a reassuring nod, then left to return to his post.

With another sigh, Yuri moved back to his personal quarters. With the news of the Faerghus knights approaching Garreg Mach, he only hoped the ruined monastery wouldn’t become a battleground. And now with the news of the scout…

He sat on his bed and retrieved the leather-bound journal. He used to keep it locked up, but since the war started, he found that he needed to write in it more and more often.

He flipped to the latest page and wrote down the name of the scout. He, like all the others written in the book, would never be forgotten. Before he closed it once more, he went back through the last dozen or so pages. So much needless death in the war.

His hand froze when he saw one particular name, written about a year after the war started. Someone who had become a good friend to him, who disappeared before the war really began. He had searched endlessly during that one year, finding nothing, then reluctantly had written his name in the book. Now he had little hope that his old professor friend was still alive, especially after all these years.

Friends were always difficult to come by, but it was especially the case during wartime. Kindness usually came with a price, compassion was actually thinly veiled manipulation, and lies were more commonplace than truths. That’s why Yuri rarely made close friends throughout his life.

Unfortunately, his existing friends had mostly left. Constance disappeared to the empire, probably hoping to get on Edelgard’s good side so she could reinstate her house. Balthus became a mercenary now that no one cared about his bounties. Only Hapi remained, but she mostly kept to herself. She didn’t like conflict, and Yuri didn’t blame her for hiding away most of the time. At least they were all alive.

And once again, Yuri found himself wondering just how long the war would last.

* * *

True to the report, the kingdom knights arrived a few days later.

Yuri had been alerted immediately. And soon after, he found one such knight enter the meeting room he had set up. 

At first he didn’t recognize her. Between the dirt and blood and her shortened hair, she almost seemed like a stranger. But when she spoke, he recognized his old acquaintance

“Yuri!” Ingrid exclaimed, her tired eyes widening. “You really are alive!”

He smiled. “Alive as ever. Glad to see you are too. I’ve heard things aren’t good in the kingdom.”

She nodded sadly. “Yes. That’s… partly why we came here.”

Yuri had a feeling that might be the case. “Ingrid, I really don’t have the resources to take a side in this war.”

“That’s not what I’m asking,” she replied. “We… found Dimitri. He survived the execution because Dedue took his place.”

Yuri stared at her in shock. “Where has he been for all these--” Then the realization hit him, and he was surprised he hadn’t realized it sooner. “He’s the one slaughtering imperial soldiers in kingdom territory, isn’t he?”

Ingrid nodded, eyes downcast. “We only recently found him, and we detained him so we could bring him here.”

“You had to _detain_ him? A friendly chat didn’t work out?”

She shook her head, eyes distant. “He’s not himself. All he cares about is revenge on Edelgard. If we didn’t stop him, he probably would have marched to Enbarr by himself to try and kill her.”

Yuri frowned. “I guess he finally snapped.”

“Yuri, all I ask is that you allow us to keep him here so that he’s safe.”

He sighed. “And what if the empire is looking for him? That would only endanger everyone here.”

“I understand that, but, if we can retake Fhirdiad and put him on the throne where he belongs--”

“That won’t stop Edelgard. And also, unless you’ve got a huge army hidden somewhere, attempting to take back Fhirdiad is pointless.”

Ingrid slumped her shoulders. “I just… I--”

“At least let me talk to Dimitri.”

She blinked at him. “Are you sure? He’s not really in a good mental state.”

“Yeah. I want to see for myself before I agree to anything.”

She nodded reluctantly, then left. A few minutes later, she returned with Dimitri, who was led in by Gilbert. 

Yuri had expected the worst, but even still, seeing Dimitri in his current state was a shock. Gone was the proper prince, replaced with a filthy, sunken-eyed man with a mess of blond hair. The transformation was so drastic, he almost didn’t recognize him.

Carefully he approached the prince. “Dimitri? You doing all right?”

He didn’t even look up. “Leave me alone,” he replied in a gravelly voice.

“It is important that we put him on the throne,” Gilbert said. “He is the last of his--”

“Is that really all you can think about?” Yuri asked. “He’s clearly not well. He needs help.”

“I only need to appease the dead,” Dimitri grumbled. “Then all will be right again. I must have that woman’s head.”

Yuri turned back to Dimitri. “I’m guessing you mean Edelgard, yeah?” 

“She must die,” he said menacingly. “I will stop at nothing to have her head.”

“It’s all he talks about,” Ingrid said.

Yuri sighed. It was one of the last things he wanted to deal with, especially since it would potentially put the innocents in Abyss in danger. But he felt obligated to do at least something. “You can stay here for a week,” Yuri said decisively. “I’ll give you a secure room. Keep an eye on him. And maybe actually try helping him become… normal?”

“Only one week?” Gilbert asked. “How can--”

“Gilbert,” Ingrid interrupted. “He’s being generous enough letting us be here at all.” Then she turned to Yuri. “Thank you.”

* * *

The following days were even more stressful than normal. He heightened security around Abyss, just in case word got out that Dimitri was hiding there. The last thing he needed was a swarm of imperial soldiers showing up.

He still found the situation a bit odd. It was clear that Ingrid and Gilbert cared for their prince’s safety, but beyond that, he had no idea what they could possibly do to save Faerghus on their own. And even if they did put Dimitri on the throne, how would that help? He clearly was not well enough to rule, especially when he was so focused on revenge. How could they not see the reality before them?

But it was on the third day, when Yuri saw Gilbert guiding mysterious soldiers through Abyss, that he truly grew frustrated with the situation.

He confronted him immediately, before they could even make it that far into Abyss. Gilbert seemed a bit annoyed when Yuri appeared before him, stopping him in his tracks.

“I’ll say this once and only once,” Yuri said, giving the knight a glare. “You cannot raise an army here.”

“A few soldiers is not an army,” Gilbert replied. “I only want to make sure his highness remains safe.”

“The only threat to Dimitri right now is _himself_ ,” Yuri replied. Then he nodded toward the soldiers. “Send them away before I force all of you to leave.”

Gilbert glared at him for a long moment, then sighed. “Very well.”

After he left, Yuri gave the Abysskeeper instructions to forcibly remove them if they came back. Having Dimitri in Abyss was dangerous enough, but letting a kingdom army form would only bring disaster. Then, after checking the rest of Abyss to make sure nothing unsavory was going on, he decided to go to the surface simply to separate himself from the stress.

It was not something he did often, but every once in a while, he liked to walk around the empty monastery to collect his thoughts. Sometimes simply walking around a deserted place in the sunlight helped him clear his head.

As he reached the surface, dawn was just breaking. He was glad for his timing; the sun was present without being blindingly bright. After walking a while around the rubble and dead grass, he opted to ascend the goddess tower. It was truly a place he could feel isolated from the rest of the world.

The view from the top was always pleasant, but it was especially so during the sunrise. As he glanced out toward the horizon, he started to think about Fodlan’s future. It had never been a truly peaceful place, at least as long as he had been alive. Even when there was not a full war going on, there was always strife between the nobility, and dangers for the commoners. When, or if, the war ever ended, would Fodlan finally find peace? Was it even possible?

He sighed, and tried to take his mind off it. Being hopeless wouldn’t help keep anyone alive. That was hard enough as it was.

For a long moment, he leaned against the railing of the tower and stared off into the distance, trying to clear his mind and forget about all that troubled him, even if it was only for a moment.

It was then that he heard footsteps coming from the stairwell. He sighed, figuring it was someone who was coming to give him a report. He didn’t bother to turn around. He figured it would just be more bad news.

But then, to his complete shock, he heard an unexpected voice, one he never thought he’d hear again.

“Yuri? Is… is that you?”

He spun around, eyes wide, wondering if he was perhaps dreaming. For a moment he was even speechless, only staring at the man before him who looked exactly as he did on that day five years prior. “B-Byleth?!”

He smiled, relief clear on his face, and rushed toward him. “Yuri, I’m so glad you’re alive.” Then he embraced him, holding him tightly.

At first Yuri went stiff. He was not one for hugging, especially when he wasn’t even expecting it. But he was so relieved that his old friend was alive that he eventually relaxed, returning the embrace. “I’m glad you’re alive, too.”

Then Byleth released him, taking a step back with a frown. “I’m sorry I was gone so long.”

“I’m just amazed you’re _alive_. I saw you fall down that chasm. I… searched for you. For any sign of you. But I couldn’t find anything.”

“I’m… not entirely sure where I was,” he admitted. “I think the goddess did something to save me, but it made me sleep for a long time.”

Yuri almost thought he was dreaming again. “You… were asleep for _five years_?!”

He nodded, glancing downward in shame. “I wish I could have helped everyone sooner. I’m sorry it took me so long to get back here.”

“Hey, no need to be so hard on yourself. I honestly never thought I’d see you again, so just having you here at all is great.”

He sighed. “I guess.” Then he sat down against the wall. “Um, if it’s all right, could you maybe… fill me in on what’s happened?”

Yuri sat beside him, feeling hopeful for the first time in months. If anything, he was merely grateful to have a friend he could trust. “I’d be happy to.”

With that, Yuri filled Byleth in on everything that happened since the war started. From Edelgard’s army, to Fhirdiad being under imperial control, to the Alliance’s attempts to stay unified despite internal strife. Then finally, he spoke of Dimitri’s reappearance.

“We all thought he was dead,” Yuri continued. “Every report I got said he had been executed. But then a few days ago he showed up with Gilbert and Ingrid.” He shook his head, frowning. “He’s… not in a good state. He really didn’t take the whole imperial takeover thing well. His only thoughts are of revenge.”

Byleth glanced down sadly, remaining quiet for a long moment. “It sounds like Fodlan will be destroyed before it finds peace. I don’t see how I could possibly help at this point.”

“Yeah. I’ve just been trying to survive these past few years. Waiting for the storm to pass.” He frowned. “Although, looks like there’s no end in sight.”

“Maybe I can talk to Dimitri,” Byleth said. “He was my student after all… maybe he’ll listen to me.”

Yuri shrugged. “Worth a try.”

* * *

When Ingrid wanted to become a knight of the kingdom, she had no idea this is what she’d have to deal with.

Searching for him had taken years, especially with the current state of the kingdom. But now that they had succeeded in finding him, she was beginning to doubt that he’d ever take his place as king of Faerghus.

She glanced over to Dimitri, slouched in the corner of the room, gazing absently at the floor. Gilbert had returned recently, looking especially annoyed, and Ingrid guessed his attempt to bring soldiers into Abyss failed. She knew it would fail, and only hoped Yuri wasn’t too upset about it.

“We’re running out of time,” Gilbert said. “And I’m starting to think your _friend_ might be working for the empire.”

Ingrid sighed. “He’s just trying to keep people safe.”

“Regardless, if we don’t focus on taking back Fhirdiad, Faerghus will be lost forever.”

It was not a conviction Ingrid held as strongly as Gilbert. She wanted to protect the people of Faerghus, but she hated that they had to stop the violence of the empire with even more violence.

Her attention turned swiftly toward the hallway as she heard footsteps approaching. Yuri showed up in the doorway, offering her a smirk.

“You’ll _never_ guess who I just found,” he said to Ingrid, completely ignoring Gilbert’s scowl.

Before she could respond, someone else entered the room, rendering her speechless.

“Good to see you again, Ingrid,” Byleth said. He looked exactly the same as he had the last time she’d seen him, and for a moment, she wondered if he was only a ghost.

“Professor?!”

“I’m sorry it took me so long to get here.”

She blinked at him, then pointed toward Dimitri. “You need to help him.”

He nodded, then slowly approached the prince who sat slouched on the floor. Yuri was right behind him, watching the situation carefully.

Byleth crouched down before him, his eyes saddened at what he saw. “Dimitri…?”

Dimitri looked up at him with a frown. “So you, too, have come to haunt me. I should have known.”

“Dimitri, I’m… I’m really back. It’s really me.”

His eye widened, but then he glanced down with a scowl. “Unless you can help me take her head, leave me alone.”

“Dimitri… I understand why you want revenge, but--”

“It is the only way to appease the dead. Father. Stepmother. Glenn. They want me to kill her. Once I am released from this prison I will go to Enbarr and tear her head from her shoulders.”

Byleth stood, clearly disappointed with his failed attempt to reason with him.

Yuri placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Try again later.”

Byleth nodded, then turned to Ingrid. “Don’t give up hope yet.” With that, he left with Yuri, leaving Ingrid to process what just happened.

* * *

The next day, Yuri mostly kept to himself. He had given Byleth a room adjacent to his, which was not normally something he did. It was a more secure area, but he trusted Byleth and wanted to make sure no one bothered him.

Yuri was about to leave his room when he spotted his notebook sitting on a table. He picked it up along with a quill, and then flipped through the pages. Then, with a smile, he crossed out Byleth’s name. It was the only time he had ever crossed out a name, and one that he was overjoyed to cross out.

After locking it up once more, he left his room. He had only taken a few steps down the hall when a voice stopped him.

“Yuri?”

He turned around, finding Byleth looking at him with concern. “Hey, friend. Doing all right?”

“I just… well, if you’re not busy, I wanted to talk to you.”

Yuri smiled. For a moment, he felt like he was back in time before the war, when Byleth would show up in front of him just as he did now to chat about whatever was going on. “Sure.”

He smiled faintly. “Thanks. I… made tea in my room.”

Yuri’s smile widened. Just like back then, he was quick to offer tea. With a nod, he followed him to his room, where they sat at a small table.

“Troubled by all this?” Yuri asked softly.

He nodded. “Yeah. So much has happened in five years. I just feel so overwhelmed trying to catch up with five years of war.” He glanced down. “Everyone has changed so much, while I haven’t changed at all. I feel like I let everyone down and got left behind in the process.” He shook his head. “Now it’s too late for me to make a difference. I hardly even recognize some of the people I was once close to.”

His words made Yuri genuinely sad. For a moment he stayed quiet, unsure how to respond.

“I just wish I had been around at the beginning of the war. Maybe I could have helped end things peacefully.”

“Not sure that was ever an option,” Yuri commented. “And there’s no need to be so hard on yourself. You’ve already helped more than you realize.”

Byleth looked at him skeptically. “How?”

Yuri crossed his arms. “To be blunt, you’re earnest. And kind. That’s hard to come by on a normal day, but during a war? Nearly impossible.”

Byleth only blinked at him in response.

“Just having you here has made me feel less stressed,” Yuri continued. “It’s reassuring to know that I have a true friend who won’t stab me in the back.”

Byleth glanced away, his cheeks flushing slightly. “I’m… glad you think so. I was worried you wouldn’t consider me a friend anymore. That you’d forget about me.”

Yuri smiled. “You’re pretty hard to forget.”

Byleth smiled in return. “That’s… reassuring.” He nodded with determination. “I will do whatever I can to help.” 

It only made Yuri glad to see that Byleth truly hadn’t changed during those five years.


	2. Chapter 2

Yuri hadn’t heard much from the Faerghus visitors in the remaining days they had left, almost suspiciously so. He only hoped they hadn’t devised some plan to stay longer than their allotted week, or somehow managed to reveal their location to anyone. The only thing he heard about them was from Byleth, who had tried talking to Dimitri a few more times with no success.

It was on the day before their departure that Byleth asked to talk to him again in his room, and this time he had a look of determination in his eyes. Gone was his hopelessness from a few days prior, replaced with conviction.

“Yuri, I have an idea,” Byleth said. “On how we can stop the war.”

Yuri looked at him curiously. “Oh?”

“I want to try and talk to Edelgard.” 

“Uh, seriously?”

“I know how it sounds, but I think if she is willing to talk to anyone, it would be me. And it doesn’t even have to be her. Just someone close to her, like Hubert or Ferdinand. I just… want to understand her perspective.”

Yuri pondered on this idea for a moment. There were many things they’d need to do to make such a meeting safe for everyone involved, and that’s just if any of Edelgard’s people agreed to such a meeting. If there were another party present, then maybe she’d be more likely to agree. “Let’s invite Claude, too.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah. Claude hasn’t been hostile toward the empire _or_ the kingdom. He’s just trying to defend his people. They’ll both be less likely to think it’s a trap if we invite them at the same time.”

Byleth considered this for a moment, then nodded. “All right.”

“There _will_ be risks, though. We’re dealing with a very hostile enemy. It’s very possible the empire will use this as a way to kill both Claude and you.”

Byleth nodded. “I understand. I… I think we can avoid an ambush.”

“We can’t bring troops, you know. That would only make them feel like we were going to attack.”

“I know. That’s not what I meant. I… think I can help us avoid an ambush.”

Yuri frowned. “I know you’re pretty perceptive, but it’s still a great risk. Don’t put too much stock in your ability to detect something like that.”

Byleth paused a moment, glancing down at the table, his expression troubled. Then he looked back up at Yuri. “I should probably explain myself. I just… I know this will be hard to believe, but… the goddess gifted me with a type of power to turn back time. It only works when I feel a strong emotional reaction to seeing someone get hurt or die. I can’t just do it on a whim, only during dire situations. And I can only turn back time a little bit. A few minutes at most.”

Yuri only blinked at him, trying to wrap his head around what he just heard.

“I know sounds impossible, but, I’ve used it many times in battle.” He glanced away, sadness in his eyes. “I’ve seen my friends die in battle. Many times. But each time, I turned back time to prevent it. It doesn’t always work, but it’s helped me save a lot of people.”

Yuri stared at him. “So… let me get this straight, when you see someone get killed in battle, you just… go back in time to before it happened, and then prevent it from happening?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“How long have you been doing this?”

“Since I arrived at the monastery.”

It was still difficult for Yuri to imagine. Of all the things the goddess could grant someone, he had not expected it to be the ability to turn back time in short intervals. And only in the most dire of situations, apparently. “I know you’ve saved them in the end, but… it must be hard watching your friends die.”

He nodded, his eyes growing distant and melancholic. “I saw you die once,” he said softly. “You took a fatal hit for me. I felt awful about it, even after I prevented it from happening.”

“Sounds like something I’d do. But, thanks for saving me. I knew you did a lot for us back before the war, but I would have never guessed you were secretly saving our lives, too.”

Byleth smiled. “That’s why I feel confident that we could avoid an ambush.”

Yuri nodded. “I see what you mean, now. In that case, I think that brings the risk down quite a bit.”

“Good. I guess next we need to send out the messages to them.” He paused a moment. “Now I’m just wondering about Dimitri…”

Yuri frowned. “As much as I don’t like him staying here, letting him leave and continue his mad slaughter won’t help anything.”

“Can you let him stay?” Byleth asked softly.

He sighed. “All right, fine. At least until we meet with the others.”

Byleth smiled. “Thanks, Yuri.” Then his smile faded. “Also… don’t ever sacrifice yourself for me, all right? I… don’t want to see you die again.”

“I’ll try my best, but you’re pretty important, you know?”

Byleth gave him a serious look. “You’re important too, Yuri. More important than me.”

“Not sure I agree with that… but, I’m glad you think so,” he said, offering a smile.

Byleth glanced away, opening his mouth as if he would say something. But instead, he closed his mouth and simply smiled.

* * *

Ingrid was grateful for the prolonged stay in Abyss, but as the days went by, she still had no idea what their ultimate goal would be. Dimitri was still the same as when they found him. She even had to remind him to eat sometimes, and no one was able to have a normal conversation with him.

Gilbert wasn’t much help, either. It was as though all he cared about was Dimitri’s royal status rather than his personal wellness. He’d go on about how a true knight of Faerghus would risk everything to put their rightful king on the throne, but to Ingrid, it seemed like something out of a myth told to children. She used to think being a knight was the most honorable thing a person could be, but now that she had witnessed the true horrors of war, she was beginning to realize how wrong that seemed.

To get her mind off everything, she started taking more walks around Abyss, and it made her notice just how much Yuri did for everyone. It was clear how dedicated he was to his people. It made her realize just how much more there was to helping people than fighting, and as much as she hated to admit it even to herself, she didn’t want to fight anymore.

Saying such a thing to anyone in her homeland would make her look like a traitor. Knights were to sacrifice themselves for the kingdom, for the good of everyone else. But was that truly the best thing for the people?

As she walked near the entrance to Abyss, she heard some commotion. Several guards stood surrounding some unfortunate soul who had wandered into the underground. She was about to continue past them when she heard what they were saying.

“Don’t care if you know Yuri,” one guard was saying. “Until he gets here, you’re not getting in.”

She stopped dead in her tracks when she heard the newcomer speak.

“Then I will wait here,” the woman said with determination.

Without a second thought, she moved toward them to see for herself. If this was indeed who she thought it was… well, at the very least, she might have a friend during her stay in Abyss.

And then she saw her, eyes full of exhaustion, yet still holding a determination Ingrid had noticed many times during the academy. It gave Ingrid a wisp of hope.

“Dorothea?”

She turned to Ingrid, eyes wide with relief. “Ingrid! It’s… it’s really you!”

“You know her?” one of the guards asked.

“Yes. I assure you she means no harm,” Ingrid insisted. “I can watch her while we wait for Yuri.”

The guards glanced at each other, then nodded. “All right, fine, I guess.”

Ingrid gestured for Dorothea to enter further into Abyss, away from any onlookers. “Are you all right? What brings you here of all places?”

It was then her confidence began to crack. “I… I wasn’t safe anymore in Enbarr. I was taking care of orphans there, but then the orphanage got damaged in the fighting.” Her exhausted eyes welled with tears. “I arranged for the survivors to come here. It was the only place I could think they’d be welcome. I couldn’t even stay to help them evacuate.”

Ingrid’s eyes widened. “Why? What happened?”

She shook her head. “Edie wanted me to help her army. She knows I don’t like fighting, so she said I could be a healer, but…” She sighed. “I don’t want to even be near the fighting. I don’t agree with what she’s doing. And I knew that if I openly disagreed with her, she’d see me as an enemy.” Tears began to fall down her face.

It was not something Ingrid normally did, but in that moment, she embraced her old friend. For a long moment, Dorothea sobbed into her shoulder, letting out what was likely months worth of distress. Ingrid was almost surprised by the sight. Dorothea was good at staying so composed, so for her to be in such a state meant things were truly difficult for her.

After the tears dried, she took a deep breath and stood before Ingrid once more. “I hate this war. I don’t want to fight.”

“I feel the same way,” Ingrid replied. “I’ve… been afraid to admit until now.”

It was then Dorothea finally smiled. “Of all my old classmates to find here, I’m glad it’s you, Ingrid.”

She felt herself smile in return. “I’m glad, too.”

“Well, look who it is,” a new voice said. 

They both turned to see Yuri had finally arrived, staring at Dorothea wide-eyed.

“Hello, Yurikins,” Dorothea replied pleasantly.

“I got word of an imperial woman showing up. I’m guessing that’s you.”

She nodded. “Yes. I… came here to help, Yuri. If you’ll let me stay. I don’t want to fight. I just… want to help those affected by this cruel war.”

Yuri smiled warmly. “Of course. You’re welcome to stay here.”

* * *

Ingrid hadn’t realized how dark her life had become until Dorothea showed up.

She was like a bright light in the darkness of Abyss. Even though circumstances were still far from good, she helped in more ways that Ingrid could imagine. Even Dimitri seemed amenable to her presence, but perhaps that was because Dorothea treated him like a human and told him what he wanted to hear.

The only one who seemed to dislike her was Gilbert, though that hadn’t surprised Ingrid. She was from the empire, so in Gilbert’s mind, that meant she was a spy. The idea was ridiculous to Ingrid, especially since she had joined Dimitri’s class during the academy and fought against Edelgard before the monastery fell.

That’s one reason why Ingrid was glad Dorothea had gotten her own private room, separate from the large one she shared with Dimitri and Gilbert. It was a place she could escape from the others and talk to her old friend.

If she had been asked five years prior, Ingrid probably wouldn’t have called Dorothea a friend; she would merely have called her an ally or classmate. But war had a way of strengthening what few bonds one had, while severing others. She was just glad Dorothea was not an enemy.

“Even the old woman who does the laundry doesn’t like him,” Dorothea said, sharing the latest gossip as she sat across from Ingrid. “And she’s usually so nice to everyone. I honestly can’t think of _anyone_ who likes Gilbert.”

Ingrid smiled. “You should have seen Yuri give him the ‘don’t mess with my people or I’ll slit your throat’ talk. The look on his face was priceless.”

Dorothea laughed. “It’s too bad you’re stuck with him instead of another of our old classmates.”

Ingrid sighed. “I know. Even Sylvain would have been better. But his father wanted him to stay in their territory to defend against the empire. Same with Felix.”

Her expression grew serious. “Hopefully Dimitri is able to… recover.”

She frowned. “I hope so, too. I understand his desire for revenge, but… I don’t think it’s the right path.”

“I agree. As much as I don’t like what Edie is doing, I don’t think she should be _killed_. _”_

Ingrid sighed. “Sometimes I wonder if Byleth would be able to reason with Edelgard. He couldn’t get through to Dimitri, but maybe there’s still a chance with her.”

Dorothea smiled the way she did whenever she was about to share an especially shocking piece of gossip. “Well, I’ve been talking to our dear professor these past few days. He’s mentioned a few times how he and Yuri are planning to possibly meet with her. Don’t tell anyone, though. If Dimitri or Gilbert heard… well, you know what would happen.”

Ingrid’s eyes widened. “He… he really said that?”

She nodded. “Not too surprising, considering how Byleth is. I just hope it works out somehow. I… have doubts that Edie will be easily convinced to end things peacefully.”

“It sounds so risky,” Ingrid commented. “But… if I were to trust anyone to try such a thing, it would be them.”

“Let’s just hope they succeed before Dimitri completely loses it.”

She sighed. “Yeah. I… keep trying to talk to him. Even Byleth tries talking to him occasionally. No one can get through to him.”

Dorothea pondered a moment. “There has to be someone. Maybe if we pull a few strings and get Yuri’s permission, we can bring in one of his old friends.”

Ingrid thought a moment on who that could possibly be. “I… honestly don’t know who could help. I’d say Dedue, but he died to save Dimitri. Felix and Sylvain would only make it worse. Ashe, if he’s even still alive, might be a possibility, but even then I’m not sure.”

Dorothea listened with her full attention, nodding as Ingrid listed the names. “This is a good place to start.” Then she smiled. “We’ll fix this _without_ fighting.”

Ingrid smiled in return. “Yes.”

* * *

Yuri sat in his quarters, shuffling through the newest reports in hopes of finding a correspondence from Edelgard. Negotiations had so far not gone well, since at first Edelgard, or more likely Hubert, didn’t even believe it was Byleth who had sent it. He had replied again, trying his best to prove it was him, and now they waited for another response.

Then there was Claude. He was vague, and only tentatively agreed while they still figured out the details. Yuri wouldn’t be surprised if he had some kind of scheme of his own, but at least he was less threatening than the empire.

A knock on the door interrupted his shuffling of papers. As he opened the door, he assumed it would be Byleth arriving to talk more about the situation, but instead he saw Dorothea smiling back at him.

“Hello, Yurikins!”

“Hey, ladybird. Need something?”

She entered and sat down at the table in the room. “I might have an idea on how to help our troubled prince.”

Yuri sat across from her, eyes narrowed. “Do you, now?”

“Well, I was thinking perhaps one of his old friends could talk some sense into him.”

“Who exactly are you talking about? I would have thought Ingrid or Byleth could have gotten through to him, but you saw how that went.”

“Do you know the circumstances around Dimitri’s supposed execution?”

Yuri pondered a moment at the sudden question. “The empire framed him for killing his uncle. Although, I’ve been told Dedue somehow took his place.”

“Don’t you find that a little odd, though? How could they mix up the prince of Faerghus and a giant Duscur man?”

Yuri sighed. “What are you getting at?”

“I think it’s worth trying to figure out if Dedue really did die. If he’s still alive, maybe he could bring Dimitri back to his senses.”

Yuri leaned back in his chair, considering her words. It would not be a huge risk, since he already had his rogues patrol Fhirdiad every so often. At the very least he could try and get information on what really happened, without letting slip that Dimitri was still alive and hiding in Abyss. “All right. I’ll see what I can find out.”

She smiled. “Good.” Then her expression grew more serious. “And please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. Byleth mentioned a few things to me about what you’re planning… and I think it’s a good plan.”

He smirked. “I should’ve known he’d tell you. But, I’m glad you approve. I guess Byleth is becoming more talkative.”

She laughed. “Well, considering how little he spoke before, I suppose it’s an improvement. But it has been nice catching up with him.” Then she smiled at him knowingly, eyes narrowed.

Yuri narrowed his eyes in return. “What gossip have you been feeding him?”

She chuckled. “Nothing in particular. I’ve just… noticed something about him after talking to him a while. He seems to be quite fond of you.”

“Well, yeah. We’re friends.”

“Yuri, come on now. I’m surprised you haven’t noticed. He’s clearly got feelings for you.”

He glanced down, feeling a pang of sadness. He had indeed noticed, but he had figured it was a temporary thing that would soon fade. He had been the first friend Byleth found after his five year absence, after all. “Maybe. I doubt anything will come of it.” Then he glanced away, his voice softening. “He deserves better than me, anyway.”

Dorothea frowned. “Yurikins, that’s no way to talk about yourself.”

He shrugged. “Just stating the truth. My charm has infatuated many over the years. But that’s all it ever is, a short-lived infatuation. Once they see past my charm, they find out that I’m just filthy and unlovable. In a few weeks, Byleth will probably be embarrassed that he ever felt any kind of infatuation for me.”

Dorothea looked at him with sympathy and concern. “I don’t think that’s true. You just need to give yourself a chance.”

He waved a hand dismissively. “It’s fine. It doesn’t matter much to me.”

She looked at him carefully, her voice becoming soft and kind. “It does matter, though, doesn’t it? It matters a lot to you, because you have feelings for someone. But deep down you’re afraid that you’re not good enough, so you hide those feelings away. I… know how it feels.”

Yuri felt like he had been stabbed in the heart. He had no idea Dorothea was so good at reading people, but in that moment he felt far more vulnerable than he preferred. “I… I don’t want to talk about this,” he finally managed to say.

Dorothea stood, offering him reassuring smile. “I understand. Just don’t give up on yourself, Yurikins.”

With that, she left him alone. Yuri remained unmoving, flooded with memories, thoughts, and emotions he had wanted to keep buried. And in that moment, he felt weak and pathetic. He had already given up on himself long ago, and giving himself another chance seemed difficult. He doubted it would work, but… maybe Dorothea was right. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy new year everyone :) here's to another year of writing fics!

Byleth felt a wave of relief when he read the letter. At last, he managed to convince Edelgard to meet with him. She also agreed to his meeting place of choice, the ruins of Remire Village. It had been selected carefully to remain as neutral as possible while also remaining close to the monastery.

Now all he needed to do was inform Claude of the meeting place and date, and then their plan could go forward.

He left his quarters immediately after reading, eager to show it to Yuri. But when he arrived at Yuri’s room, it appeared he was not present. Instead of roaming about Abyss to find him, he asked the Abysskeeper of his whereabouts.

“Oh yeah, he went to the surface not long ago. You’ll find him somewhere up there.”

Byleth nodded and left for the surface, having a good idea about where exactly he had gone. He had been rather distant the past few days, likely troubled about everything going on. And Byleth had come to learn that when he felt especially troubled, he would always return to the same place to think.

It was still early morning outside, and he was pleased to see the sky covered with clouds. After spending so much time in Abyss, Byleth found it rather jarring whenever he was met with the sun.

He immediately went to the goddess tower. After climbing the steps and catching his breath, he found his friend just as he had during their reunion, glancing absently out toward the horizon.

Yuri turned as Byleth approached, clearly surprised to see him. “Hey, friend.”

Byleth moved to stand next to him. “I have good news. She agreed to meet with us.”

His eyes widened, and then a faint smile appeared on his face. “That’s great. Let’s hope it all goes as planned.”

Byleth sighed with relief. “Yeah.”

Then, for a long moment, they stood in silence, staring out toward the horizon together. A few times Byleth glanced over at Yuri, and each time he had the same look of melancholy. Seeing it troubled him.

“Yuri?”

“Hm?”

“Are you… all right?”

He sighed, avoiding Byleth’s gaze. “Just feeling a bit overwhelmed by everything. No need to worry about me.”

Byleth gently took his hand. Yuri nearly jumped when he did it, but then relaxed and finally looked at him.

“Yuri, I think it’ll all work out. And if it doesn’t, I’ll do everything I can to keep everyone safe.”

Yuri stared at him for a moment, but then smiled, his cheeks flushed slightly. “Thanks, Byleth. You’ve really given me hope again.”

Byleth smiled back at him, feeling a warmth in his cheeks. He was still surprised at how much more serious Yuri had become in the past five years. He still had his moments, but like many other people Byleth had met after awakening in the war-torn Fodlan, he appeared emotionally drained.

At first he felt guilty that he had not shared that burden with them. But seeing Yuri smile at him now made him realize his absence had brought an unexpected gift of hope, untainted by the hardships of war.

Eventually Yuri turned away, releasing his hand and glancing back toward the view. “Just don’t overdo it, all right? I know you usually keep things to yourself, but if you ever start to feel overwhelmed, you can talk to me.”

“Yuri, you can talk to me, too. I’ve… noticed you do the same thing.”

He smirked. “Can’t say you’re wrong about that.” Then he looked at Byleth once more. “Really, though, you can always talk to me about anything you’re feeling.” He frowned. “Keeping all those emotions buried only makes things worse.”

In that moment, Byleth almost felt as though Yuri could see right through him. Byleth knew he was guilty of it, mostly because he often had a difficult time expressing the emotions he was feeling. But Yuri was right. Burying them only made it worse. That’s why… maybe…

He sighed. There were a million things he wanted to say, a million ways he had thought of saying it, but nothing ever seemed right. He had attempted this very conversation a few times already, but ended up not saying anything at all. He cursed his inability to handle his own emotions. But if there was any time to say it, it was now.

“Um… Yuri? Can I ask you something?”

Yuri looked at him curiously. “Of course.”

“I-I won’t be offended if you say no. But I… I just…” He went through all his carefully planned words, but none seemed correct in that moment. Instead of asking one of the carefully planned questions about how Yuri felt about him, his emotions got the better of him, causing him to ask something completely unplanned. “Can I… kiss you?”

Yuri stared at him in shock at first, which only made Byleth feel more embarrassed. But then he smiled, and without a word, he placed a hand on Byleth’s cheek and kissed him softly.

Byleth had hardly been prepared for it. He had been anxiously awaiting a verbal response from him, but instead… he now felt his soft lips against his own. Just as Yuri began to pull away, Byleth closed the distance between them to meet his lips once more.

When they finally did separate, Yuri smiled back at him, his lipstick smudged slightly. 

“Um… thanks,” Byleth said.

Yuri chuckled softly, then used his sleeve to wipe off the makeup that had transferred onto Byleth’s face. “Anytime.” Before Byleth could respond, he began to move toward the stairwell. “See you around, By.”

Byleth remained in place, stunned by everything that had just happened.

* * *

Ingrid quickly realized Abyss had a different feel when Yuri was not present.

She still wasn’t entirely sure where he and Byleth had gone off to, but it apparently had to do with their secret meeting with Edelgard. But in his absence, everyone seemed a little more protective than usual.

It had been only a few days since they were gone, and Ingrid didn’t know what to do with herself. She hated being around Gilbert and Dimitri all day, but she also didn’t want to bother Dorothea too much. She had duties of her own around Abyss, taking care of orphans and the elderly.

So it was in that time that she decided to read the reports Yuri had gathered about Dimitri’s execution. Sitting in Dorothea’s room, as to not raise suspicion from the others, she sorted through the reports. Most said the same story, that Dimitri was dead, executed for his killing his uncle. But there was one report that made her curious.

It was not about the execution, but instead about Duscur rogues who worked as mercenaries throughout Fodlan during the war. Ingrid knew there were not many people of Duscur left, and that if Dedue was alive, he’d likely be among those mercenaries.

She felt a pang of guilt at the thought. To think there were only a few left of what had once been an entire nation and culture… After the tragedy of Duscur, she had blamed them like many others from Faerghus. But over the years, she came to realize they were not the ones to blame; they were only more victims of the empire, sacrificed in order to throw Faerghus in disarray. And it worked.

Now Ingrid could only hope Dedue was still alive so that he might bring Dimitri back from the depths of despair.

As she continued through the reports, she saw another about the same group of Duscur mercenaries, along with the places they had been staying. She only hoped that, if Dedue was indeed alive, they could get to him before Dimitri completely lost himself.

She put the reports back in a tidy pile in Dorothea’s room, then moved back to the room she shared with the others.

As she approached, Gilbert stood outside the doorway. “Oh, _there_ you are,” he said. “We have an important visitor.”

Ingrid looked at him with confusion. “Who are you talking about?”

“I invited Lord Rodrigue to speak with Dimitri.”

Without another word, she rushed into the room, finding Duke Fraldarius standing before Dimitri. He turned away sadly, clearly having just had a failed conversation with the prince, but then his expression softened when he saw Ingrid.

“Oh, Ingrid! It’s good to see you!”

She smiled, though she felt mixed emotions about his presence. She still very much appreciated him and looked up to him, not only as Duke Fraldarius, but also as Glenn’s father. But having him get involved with Dimitri’s situation seemed risky for everyone involved. “And you, Lord Rodrigue. I am surprised you risked coming here.”

“It’s no trouble. I am pleased that you and Gilbert were successful in finding his highness. Gilbert wrote to me of his situation, but…” he frowned, glancing back at Dimitri who remained slumped in the corner. “I hadn’t expected it to be this bad.”

“It is… unfortunate,” Ingrid replied. “I’m guessing you already tried talking to him.”

“Indeed. I hope to get through to him eventually. I already have plans for how to take back Fhirdiad. We can discuss the details later, but in a few days I plan for us to head back to my territory.”

Ingrid blinked at him. “Oh, I see. I… are we going to attack the empire?”

He nodded. “I have gathered some forces. With the help of you and Gilbert, I have a plan for us to sneak into Fhirdiad and launch an attack on Cordelia’s forces.”

More fighting. She supposed it was inevitable, even though she hoped things could be resolved differently.“I see.”

Rodrigue smiled. “Thank you for your service, Ingrid. I am very proud of the knight you’ve become. I think Glenn would have been proud, too.”

The words pierced her heart. All the confidence she had built up about not wanting to be a knight anymore was completely shattered in that moment. It had been nearly nine years since Glenn’s death, yet she still held the idea of him very strongly in her heart.

“I am glad to hear it,” she replied, though in actuality she had been troubled to hear it.

Rodrigue nodded, and moved back toward where Gilbert stood. “We shall meet later to discuss our plans.”

Ingrid nodded in return, feeling very conflicted. 


	4. Chapter 4

They walked to Remire village mostly in silence, for which Yuri was grateful. After the moment in the goddess tower, he had hardly spoken to Byleth except for their travel plans.

He still wondered if it had been the right thing to do. Perhaps it would only prolong the inevitable day when Byleth was over his infatuation. Either way, Yuri would be lying if he said he hadn’t enjoyed it. He just had to remind himself that it probably didn’t mean anything serious, and that it probably wouldn’t happen again.

Instead, he needed to focus on the task before them. The task that could very well shape the future of Fodlan.

Seeing Remire village again did not exactly bring back the best of memories. After getting raided by bandits, experimented on by Solon, and then abandoned entirely, it was not the happiest place in Fodlan. But it was a decent meeting spot.

“Yuri, look.”

He glanced toward where Byleth was pointing, finding a white wyvern sitting in the ruins of the village. “Looks like Claude showed up, at least.”

As they approached, Yuri spotted the leader of the Alliance. His change in appearance was subtle, and in no way jarring like Dimitri’s had been.

Claude turned as they neared him and his wyvern, eyes wide at Byleth.

“Teach! You… you really _are_ alive!”

Byleth smiled. “Thanks for agreeing to this, Claude.”

He smirked. “Of course! If we can end this peacefully, then I’m all for that.” Then he glanced toward Yuri curiously before turning back to Byleth. “Oh. I guess you’ve been hiding in Abyss then?”

Byleth nodded. “Something like that.”

“I’m not gonna lie,” Claude continued. “I’m a little nervous about what Edelgard has planned. I hope you two are prepared.”

Yuri nodded. “Definitely.”

Not long after, Yuri heard footsteps approaching from the forest behind the village. He moved to hide behind a pile of rubble so that he could still watch without being noticed. This was not his meeting after all, it was Byleth’s.

Soon after, Edelgard appeared, clad in red regalia with a golden headpiece which only further signified her status as emperor. She approached with a determined look, keeping her eyes on Byleth. 

What worried Yuri most was that she was alone. It seemed unlikely that Hubert would have let her do such a thing, which meant that he was probably hiding somewhere, waiting to strike if necessary.

Edelgard’s stern demeanor faded slightly as she saw Byleth. “Professor… it… it really _is_ you.” After the shock wore off, her expression returned to how it was before. Yuri felt like she was looking at them as if they were her subjects.

“Hello, your majesty!” Claude offered. “You seem well.”

“I am not here for pleasantries, Claude.” Then she turned and looked directly at Byleth, her eyes nearly boring into him. “I want to know. Do you intend to walk with me down my chosen path?”

Byleth met her gaze. “Edelgard, I just want to know why you have chosen the path you have.”

“Is it so hard to see? I chose this path because it is the best path. The only path I can follow.”

Byleth frowned. “But… don’t you think this war is only making things worse?”

“It is a necessary sacrifice for saving this crooked land.” She glanced briefly Claude before looking back at Byleth. “If the other leaders did not resist, then there would not be so many casualties.”

Claude looked at her carefully. “Let’s just say--hypothetically of course--that it wasn’t the best path. That others had more peaceful ideas of how to fix things. Would you be willing to listen?”

“It is too late for that,” Edelgard continued. “In order to change this world, this is what I must do.” She stepped toward Byleth, her gaze becoming even more intense. “If you do not walk with me, then I have no choice but to destroy you for the greater good of the world. So tell me, professor. Will you join me?”

Byleth looked at her sadly. “I… I can’t do that. I agree that this world must change, but… I don’t think your path is the right one, Edelgard.”

Her composure completely dissolved as he spoke the words. She glanced down, her expression pained.

“I agree with Teach,” Claude added.

Edelgard clenched her fists, then looked up at them. “In that case, I must continue to regard you as an enemy. The next time we meet--”

Her words were interrupted by an arrow whirring through the air toward Byleth. He deftly dodged it, but then more appeared, coming from all directions.

An ambush, just as he suspected. By whom, though, he was unsure.

He spotted movement across the village, near the remnants of a house. He ran toward the figure, quickly realizing they were running away from the fighting and not toward it. A retreat.

Such an organized attack would mean a camp nearby. Yuri carefully followed the retreating mage, hoping to get some answers as to who started the ambush.

He followed the mage behind a pile of rubble, where horses were tethered and bags of supplies lay on the ground. The horses had no identifying marks on what they wore, and neither did the mage who led him there.

Yuri finished off the retreating mage, leaving him alone in the clearing. Immediately he rummaged through the supplies, trying to find any kind of clue, but all he found was a strange knife, some rations, and other unremarkable items. As he stood, he spotted another hooded mage approaching.

He quickly fled, avoiding the fire spell that had been hurled toward him. A gust of wind hit him from above, and as he looked up, he saw Claude’s wyvern hovering overhead. Soon after, an arrow took out the hooded mage.

With that, he took the opportunity to move back to where the meeting had been. Edelgard was nowhere to be seen, likely having escaped already. Instead, he found some scorched grass, a dead hooded mage, and Byleth, who was still fighting against an attacker.

Before he could reach him, he heard a rustling from behind, only to see that another hooded figure approached him. This one held one of the strange knives he found before, and charged at him faster than he was anticipating.

He managed to dodge the attack, then use a wind spell to knock down the attacker. Just as he was about to return a slash with a blade of his own, he was shoved onto the ground unexpectedly. Immediately after, an arrow flew just above his head, where he had just been standing. An uncanny near-miss.

The knife wielder had now returned to his feet, preparing for another attack. Yuri was not the most prepared, but he was prepared enough that he was able to dodge most of the attack. After short skirmish, Yuri defeated him, left with only a gash in his thigh. Better than being stabbed in the chest, he figured.

As he collapsed into the grass to catch his breath, he saw Byleth finishing off the nearby archer. Claude swiftly landed his wyvern nearby, gesturing for them both to hop on. Byleth rushed forward, but Yuri hesitated. He didn’t like the idea of jumping onto a wyvern carrying three people, but with a quick glance around, he realized there were still more enemies. Flying away was the best escape at the moment, unfortunately for Yuri.

While still hesitating, Byleth helped him to his feet. He frowned at Yuri’s injury, but then urged him forward toward the wyvern.

“Come on, we need to hurry!” Claude said.

With great reluctance, Yuri got onto the wyvern’s back, sitting behind Byleth. The creature did actually appear to be large enough to fit multiple people, indicated by the fact they could all sit on its saddle with space between them. Despite this, once they lifted off into the air, Yuri began to feel dizzy.

He didn’t even notice the pain from his wound anymore. All his focus was on how high up they were. Eventually he squeezed his eyes shut, trying his best to keep his mind off it.

“Yuri? Are you… all right?”

He opened his eyes, realizing that during his panic he had clenched his arms around Byleth as if it were the only thing keeping him from falling off.

Embarrassed by the realization, he loosened his grip. “Just… n-not a fan of flying,” he replied, voice shaky.

“We’ll be there soon,” Byleth reassured him.

He considered completely letting go of Byleth, but his fear outweighed his embarrassment. He opted to keep holding on while keeping his eye clenched shut.

Eventually they began to descend, and when Yuri opened his eyes, he saw the ruins of the monastery once more. Once they landed, he hopped off the wyvern and sat among the weeds.

Byleth soon appeared beside him, frowning at his wound, which had now soaked through the clothing around it. It hurt, of course, but Yuri was still trying to calm his racing heart and shaking hands.

As Claude tended to his wyvern, Byleth used healing magic on the wound.

“I’m sorry, Yuri,” Byleth said softly.

“Sorry for what? I should be thanking you.”

Byleth finished the healing spell, then looked at him sadly. “I couldn’t prevent you from getting hurt.”

It was then the realization hit him. The near-miss of the arrow, Claude’s perfect timing… “Oh… you mean your goddess gift thing.”

He nodded. “I tried nearly a dozen times, but you still ended up hurt.” He nodded at the closed up wound. “That was the most minor wound I could manage.” 

Yuri pondered on that a moment, still unable to completely wrap his head around the concept. “Well, no one died, and I only suffered a minor wound. I’d say you succeeded. Honestly, the worst part was that our little meeting got ambushed in the first place. And… the ride over here was pretty bad, too. I’m still shaking.”

A faint smile appeared on his face. “I don’t think I’ve seen you so scared. You had me in a death grip.”

He felt his face flush with embarrassment. “I just… prefer staying on the ground. Underground is even better.”

He nodded, still smiling. “Let’s get back underground, then.”

* * *

Ingrid paced around the halls of Abyss, mentally preparing for the choices ahead of her.

She still struggled with the thought of going into battle against the empire. After hearing Rodrigue’s plan, she realized just how desperate the situation in the kingdom was. She wasn’t even sure if she’d make it out alive, but what else was expected from a Knight of Faerghus? Dying for the royal family was a thing of pride.

At least, that’s what she tried to tell herself. She really didn’t much of a choice.

Eventually her pacing led her to Dorothea’s room, checking to see if her friend was back yet. She had desperately wanted to talk to her ever since Rodrigue had arrived, but she had been away taking care of her duties.

Fortunately for Ingrid, she was back this time.

“Oh, Ingrid!” Dorothea said, giving her a look of concern as she entered. “I… heard about Duke Fraldarius arriving.”

Ingrid nodded, then sat across from her. “Yeah. I… wasn’t expecting him to show up.”

“Is he worse than Gilbert? Oh goddess, I hope he’s not worse than Gilbert.”

“No, he’s… respectable. But he’s a noble from Faerghus. Which means he’s just as obsessed with taking back Fhirdiad. He’s still so loyal to the late king after all these years, almost like an obsession. They were close, and I don’t think he ever got over it.”

She glanced down. “I see.”

“He already has a plan to take back the capital. And… he wants me to help.”

“You don’t want to do that though, do you?”

She sighed. “I’m conflicted. Part of me feels like it’s the right thing to do, while another part of me feels like it’s wrong. I just… don’t want to disappoint anyone.”

Dorothea looked at her curiously. “Disappoint the Duke?”

She glanced away. “Yes. He’s done a lot for me throughout my life. And… I was once engaged to his son.”

Dorothea tilted her head. “Felix? Or… wait… he had a brother, didn’t he?”

She nodded. “Glenn. It was an arranged marriage, but I still loved him. In my eyes he was the ideal knight, the kind I always wanted to become. But… he died during the tragedy of Duscur, protecting Dimitri.” She glanced down. “I… still think about him. It’s been nine years since I saw him last.”

Dorothea’s voice softened, and she regarded Ingrid with sympathy. “Do you still love him?”

It was something Ingrid wondered herself. He had been the only person she had ever fallen in love with, and for the longest time she thought they had been soulmates. But as the years passed, she realized there was no such thing, and she had been clinging to the idealized Glenn that lived in her mind. “For a long time I thought I was. But I think… I actually just love the _idea_ of him. Or at least the idea of him in my own mind.”

Her friend nodded with understanding. “It sounds like you were never given the option to choose your own path. You became a knight because it was expected of you, you were going to marry Glenn because it was expected of you, and now you’re fighting for Faerghus because it’s expected of you.” Then she looked at Ingrid, her expression serious. “What is it that _you_ want, Ingrid? Not what’s expected of you, but what your heart tells you to do?”

The question stunned her. It was not something she had ever considered; in fact, she had convinced herself that becoming a knight was what she wanted to do. But maybe Dorothea was right, maybe she convinced herself it was the right thing to do only because she had been forced onto that path. Maybe she convinced herself she was in love with Glenn because it was expected of her. “I… honestly don’t know. I don’t think I’ve really thought about it enough.” She glanced away sheepishly. “But since the war, I’ve come to disagree more and more with the ideals I once had about knighthood.”

Dorothea smiled. “Think about it. You probably have some time before the Duke tries to take you away.”

Ingrid smiled in return. “Thanks, Dorothea. I’m… really glad our paths crossed once more.”

A commotion from the hallway made them both turn their heads. After exchanging a concerned glance with each other, they both stood and peered out into the hallway.

Ingrid noticed the inevitable finally happened. Yuri had returned, and now stood before Gilbert, who guarded the door to the room Dimitri was in. Both glared at each other.

“You invite him here after I warned you, and now you won’t even let me talk to him?” Yuri asked.

“Oh, this should be fun to watch,” Dorothea whispered.

“I cannot trust that you will not hurt him,” Gilbert replied.

Yuri sighed. “Seriously? You’re lucky Byleth convinced me to even let you stay here this long. You better not be raising an army down here.”

The door to the room opened, and Rodrigue stepped out, looking at Yuri with confusion.

“Gustav, who is this?”

Gilbert sighed. “He’s the leader of the rogues who live here.”

Rodrigue’s face lit up. “Oh, you must be Yuri. I’ve heard much about you already.”

Yuri blinked at him, clearly not expecting such politeness. “Good. Maybe you can tell me why you’re here?”

“Ah yes, well, I merely wanted to speak with Dimitri and the knights who accompanied him here. I appreciate you letting them stay here. I will soon be taking them back with me to fight for the kingdom.”

“Sounds like a death wish to me, but whatever. Just don’t let anyone follow you here, all right?”

Rodrigue nodded. “I understand.”

Yuri turned to leave, but then stopped. “Oh, Claude wants to try talking to Dimitri later. He’s not your enemy.”

Rodrigue’s eyes widened. “Claude von Riegan?!” 

“Yeah, he decided to stay here a while too. Anyway, just don’t cause any trouble while you’re here.” With that he walked off.

Dorothea raised her eyebrows at Ingrid, and Ingrid knew exactly what she was thinking. Maybe Claude could help put them on a different path, one with less fighting and less death.


	5. Chapter 5

It hadn’t been very long since their return, but Byleth remained troubled about the failed meeting.

He had hoped Edelgard would at least try to negotiate something with him, but apparently she was too stuck on her own path. And then to think she sent an ambush after them… it only made him feel more disappointed for how she had become.

Upon their return to Abyss, the commotion about Rodrigue left them without a chance to discuss what exactly had happened during the meeting, and how they should proceed. Eventually his thoughts overwhelmed him to the point where he needed to talk to someone else. So, he knocked on Yuri’s door. 

Yuri looked relieved to see him. “Hey, friend. I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”

Byleth nodded, and followed him into the room. Before any other words could be exchanged, Byleth felt the need to say one thing in particular. “I’m sorry the meeting went so badly.”

Yuri looked at him sadly. “Hey, no need to take the blame. It was worth trying.” Then he took a seat on his bed. “I had a feeling Edelgard wouldn’t agree with us.”

Byleth sighed. “To think she sent attackers after us, though…”

“I don’t think she sent them.”

Byleth tilted his head. “Then… who?”

Yuri nodded toward the table, upon which was a sheathed dagger. “Found that on one of them. They had their own camp, and their stuff didn’t look imperial.”

Byleth took the knife and inspected it. The sheath was of a strange material, and the blade looked different from those he had typically seen from the empire. He put it back, then turned toward Yuri. “I… I don’t know what to think. I saw Hubert help Edelgard escape with a warp spell. In the moment it seemed they were responsible for it all.”

“Maybe. I wouldn’t hold it against her. But… I don’t think we can safely blame the attack on anyone right now.”

With another sigh, Byleth began pacing across the room. “I guess next we need to try and figure out who was behind the ambush, but I’m not even sure where to begin with that. And now there’s the situation with Rodrigue.”

“I’m kind of hoping Claude talks him out of it,” Yuri commented. “But if Rodrigue does go through with his plan, I can’t imagine it ending well for anyone.”

Byleth stopped pacing and frowned. “I just wish Dimitri was… normal. I feel like it would help a lot.”

“Oh, well, Dorothea is helping with that problem.”

His eyes widened. “How?”

Yuri crossed his arms. “She’s trying to find out if any of Dimitri’s old friends are still alive. The ones he’d be most likely to listen to.”

Byleth was once again glad for Dorothea’s arrival. “That’s a bit of a relief, at least.” Then he shook his head. “Sometimes I wish the church could help, too.”

Yuri frowned. “Maybe. I mean, siding with them would only make Edelgard hate us even more. As much as I think they shouldn’t be held captive by the empire, I think we need to forget about them for now.”

He glanced down, feeling like he was running out of options to end the war peacefully. Perhaps it was a foolish idea after all. Perhaps the most peaceful route still required lives to be taken. “I guess you’re right.” Then he sighed. “I hope I’m not just making everything worse.”

Yuri stood and placed a hand on his shoulder. “If you weren’t doing this, we’d be even worse off.”

Byleth took in a deep breath, then nodded. “Thanks. You’ve helped a lot, too.”

Yuri took a step back and smiled. “No need to thank me.”

He smiled in return, then turned to leave. He paused ever so briefly, considering if this would be a good time to talk about the other thing on his mind. He quickly decided it wasn’t, then left the room.

* * *

After spending hours catching up on reports, Yuri was exhausted. He had slept much less than he would have liked since arriving back in Abyss, and his head was starting to feel like mush.

He was about to get some sleep when he heard a knock on his door. He hesitated, deciding on whether he should answer. He was not exactly in a state to meet with anyone; he was barefaced and in his nightclothes and nearly half-asleep as it was.

Byleth had already come by earlier, so he assumed it might be someone else. And considering everything that had been going on in Abyss lately, it seemed likely it was some urgent news of some sort.

Reluctantly, he opened the door, and was immediately surprised by who he saw.

“Um, sorry to bother you,” Byleth said, shifting his weight nervously. “If this is a bad time I can come back later.”

Seeing the worry on his face only made Yuri concerned. “No problem, friend. Something troubling you?”

He hesitated a moment, not once meeting Yuri’s eyes. “I… wanted to talk with you. If that’s all right.”

“Sure,” Yuri replied, gesturing for him to enter the room.

Byleth stood in the center of the room nervously. “I… um, I just… wanted to tell you that… I--”

Yuri smirked. He now knew exactly what this was about. “You want to kiss me again?”

His face instantly flushed a deep shade of red. “I-I um, well, I just--”

Yuri looked at him seriously. “Listen, By. I’m not sure what exactly you want from me, but I think you deserve someone better.”

Byleth stared at him, stunned.

“I’m flattered, of course. I respect you a lot. I just don’t think I can give you what you want.” It saddened him to say it, but he knew letting himself get heartbroken later would have felt even worse.

He regretted his words, however, when he saw Byleth’s reaction. The sadness in his eyes made him feel a pang of guilt mixed with shame. 

“I just want to be close to you,” Byleth said softly. “I… want to stay close to you even after this is all over.” Then, even quieter, he added words that made Yuri feel even worse. “You mean a lot to me. I don’t think there’s anyone I’d rather be with than you.”

He felt conflicted in that moment. He realized this was perhaps not just a brief infatuation, but something deeper, and it came from the kindest person he’d ever met. But Byleth didn’t know Yuri as well as he thought. Had he, he likely wouldn’t be saying things like that.

“You… really feel that way?” Yuri asked.

Byleth nodded. “Yes. Without a doubt.”

Yuri found his words touching. Byleth was perhaps the most earnest person he’d ever met, and it even carried over to his romantic feelings. It was unlike anything he’d ever experienced before and he almost couldn’t believe it. There was no manipulation in his words, no ulterior motive. Byleth just… honestly cared about him. He didn’t think such a thing was possible.

Maybe it was time for Yuri to give himself another chance. To not give up on himself for once. He usually didn’t let his emotions control his actions, but in that moment, he let them guide him.

“I’ll be honest,” Yuri began. “I don’t really know what you see in me. But… if that’s really how you feel… then I accept that.” He glanced away, feeling heat rising in his cheeks. “You mean a lot to me, too.”

“R-really?”

“Yeah. I’ve… had feelings for you for a while.” It was not something he had ever admitted before. They were words that could be used against him, words that made him vulnerable, words that could let him get taken advantage of. But in that moment, he felt safe.

Byleth smiled, looking at him directly in the eyes. “I’m glad. That makes me happy.” Then he shifted nervously. “Um, well, thanks. I’ll let you sleep now.” He turned to leave, but then hesitated.

Yuri smiled. “You still want that kiss?”

He nodded sheepishly.

Without another word, Yuri stepped forward and kissed him softly.

Then Byleth smiled at him, gently placing a hand on his cheek. “Thanks.” With that, he left the room, leaving Yuri frozen in place, still wondering what he did to deserve someone so wonderful.

* * *

When she heard Gilbert was to accompany Claude for his meeting with Dimitri, Ingrid immediately volunteered instead. She doubted Claude would get through to him, but with Gilbert standing over him, there would be no chance at all.

Just as she had expected, Claude was shocked at Dimitri’s transformation. As usual, the prince remained slumped in the corner of the room. For a moment, Claude simply stood before him, as if waiting for him to say something first. When it was clear that wasn’t going to happen, Claude sat down next to him.

“Hey there, your highness. Remember me?”

Dimitri didn’t even turn to look at him. “Another ghost to haunt me,” he muttered.

“Nope, definitely not a ghost. I promise I’m the real Claude von Riegan.”

It was then Dimitri finally looked at him. “Why are you here?”

Claude smiled nervously. “Just wanted to have a nice chat with an old friend. Oh, and you should know that I’m happy to be your ally in this war.”

“So you will help me appease the dead.”

“I… uh, maybe you could elaborate on that a bit?”

“My father. Stepmother. Glenn. Dedue. They cannot rest until I tear that woman’s head from her shoulders.”

Ingrid figured this would be when Claude would decide to end the conversation and leave, but instead he appeared to consider Dimitri’s words carefully.

“I… see,” Claude replied. “So, you only want to have revenge on Edelgard for those who have died?”

“Yes. It is the only way.”

Ingrid sighed. Still no getting through to him.

“So,” Claude continued. “These… ghosts tell you anything else? I mean, seems kinda unlikely that everything will be instantly better if Edelgard dies. She’s got a lot of people helping her.”

“I don’t care about them. The dead only want me to kill that woman.”

Claude rubbed his chin in thought. “Maybe… uh… ask them what you should do _after_ that. Always good to plan things out. Oh, and tell them I’m here to help, too. That might… reassure them?”

“You weren’t there, Claude. You didn’t see the slaughter I witnessed. Everyone I cared for, dying in front of my eyes. I was the only survivor. And now Dedue is even gone, dying so that I may live to enact revenge.”

Claude sighed. “You’re right, I wasn’t there. That sounds awful. But… you have to take care of yourself, too. It’s okay to run away when you need to save yourself.”

Dimitri remained quiet for a moment. “Run away?”

“Yeah, run away from those ghosts harassing you. Don’t let them control you. Do what you think is best.”

Dimitri huffed. “The best thing is for Edelgard to die in my hands.”

Claude hung his head in disappointment.

“Good effort, Claude,” Ingrid said. “You’ve gotten farther than the rest of us.”

He stood with a sigh. “Well, still no success.” Claude nodded for her to follow him out of the room. Once they exited, he lowered his voice. “As much as I hate to say it, we can’t let him out of here until he gets help.”

Ingrid nodded. “I know. Dorothea and I have been trying to contact Ashe and Dedue. They’re the only ones left who could talk any sense into him.”

“Didn’t Dedue… die?”

“We’re trying to find out for sure. It seems possible that he’s still alive.”

“I see.” Claude pondered for a moment. “So in the meantime, Duke Fraldarius still is set to send a few troops to Fhirdiad, thinking he can capture it?”

When put that way, it made Ingrid feel even worse about the plan. “Yes.”

Claude pondered for a long moment. “For now, leave Dimitri to me. I’ll keep trying to talk to him. Sounds like you need to focus on other things.”

She sighed. “Definitely. And… thanks, Claude.”


	6. Chapter 6

Several days had passed, and nothing had changed. Byleth had thought relentlessly about the failed meeting, and who could have been behind the ambush, but he had made no progress.

During his walk around the halls that day, however, he noticed something unusual. As he passed the room Dimitri was staying in, he caught a glimpse of the corner where Dimitri usually sat, but instead of finding the prince wallowing in despair, it was empty. He stopped, and peered further into the room.

To his surprise, he found Dimitri sittingat a table across from Claude.

For a moment, Byleth could only stare.

“Is that so?” Claude said. “Well, what has your father told you today?”

Despite Dimitri’s new posture, his expression remained the same. “He has reminded me that I am a failure,” he grumbled.

“That’s not very nice,” Claude replied. “Was he like that when he was… uh… alive?”

“No. Only once I failed to avenge him.”

“Maybe it’s just a bad dream,” Claude offered.

“All of them have haunted me since that day. Both day and night. They want me to take her head.”

Claude frowned. “They don’t want you to become a king?”

“Until that woman dies, there will be no peace for anyone, living or dead.”

He sighed. “If you say so.”

It wasn’t much, but Byleth was pleased to see Claude had made some progress talking to Dimitri. The prince who once had to be reminded to eat was now sitting and having a decent conversation.

As he continued down the hall, he saw Ingrid walk swiftly past him with a determined gait. He turned around to see where she was headed, and it was then he noticed she even had a travel bag with her.

It seemed odd to him; he knew Rodrigue had no intentions of leaving that day, and the fact that she was alone made him a little concerned.

Without another thought, he followed her.

He stayed back a good distance as to not attract her attention. She continued with haste until she moved toward the entrance of Abyss, and then up to the surface. Then she stood among the ruins of the monastery, her expression pained. A few times she looked up as though expecting someone, but for the most part, she seemed uneasy.

Byleth approached her. “Ingrid?”

She turned to him, eyes wide. “I… uh… professor!”

“Are you all right? Did… something happen?”

She hung her head in shame and sighed. “I guess I should explain. I… really don’t like the idea of following through with Rodrigue’s plan. I think it will only result in more people suffering.” She glanced away. “A while ago, Dorothea received a letter about Ashe’s whereabouts. Apparently he defected from the imperial army and was captured. And, there is a Duscur man they captured with him. So I made a deal with one of the imperial generals.”

Byleth almost couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Ingrid…”

“The deal was that I’d give myself in return for the release of Ashe and possibly Dedue. I promised to help General Randolph keep bandits away from the fortress of Arianrhod in return. And… I’m hoping I can eventually persuade them to leave Fhirdiad as well.” She shook her head. “I know it’s risky, but… if I’m going to sacrifice myself, then I’d rather it be like this. I feel like this will ultimately save more innocent lives than Rodrigue’s plan.”

Byleth frowned. “Ingrid, I--”

He was interrupted when an imperial general approached, accompanied by two soldiers. The man he assumed to be General Randolph stopped before the two of them, glancing at each of them curiously. To Byleth, he seemed to have no malicious intent, so at least Ingrid was not walking into a trap.

Ingrid gave a short bow, then looked at him with determination. “General Randolph, I presume?”

The general nodded and smiled. “Indeed. I assume you are Ingrid, famed knight of Faerghus.” Then he turned to Byleth. “And you?”

“Byleth,” he replied. “I am… her old professor. I’ll be coming too.”

Ingrid gave him a look of concern, but said nothing.

The general’s eyes lit up. “Ah yes! I have heard of you from Her Majesty. I think she will be pleased to know you’ve joined us. Anyway, once we arrive at Arianrhod, I will send word to have your friends released from imprisonment. I promise you I will stay true to our bargain.”

Ingrid looked troubled, though a bit relieved at the same time. “Thank you. Let us go.”

Byleth felt a knot in the pit of his stomach, but still he felt it was right for him to go along. If anything, he could gather information that could help them proceed. As it was now… they had very little to go on.

With some trepidation, he followed them.

* * *

The journey to Arianrhod was quick and silent. Byleth was concerned they’d treat Ingrid like a prisoner, but instead Randolph seemed to respect her. Knowing people like him were part of the imperial army gave him a bit of hope.

When they arrived at the fortress, they were given a room to share in the barracks. It was away from the rest of the soldier’s quarters, and Byleth had a feeling he knew why. Aside from two small beds and a table, there were imperial uniforms folded in a stack, waiting for them.

“Meals will be at dusk,” Randolph told them. “Bandits have been trying to steal from the fortress nearly every day. Please be ready to fight when you are needed.” With that, he nodded and left their new temporary living quarters.

After the door closed, Byleth turned to Ingrid. “How are you feeling about all this?”

She nodded. “All right. And… thanks for coming along. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared.”

Byleth frowned. “Did you… tell anyone that you were doing this?”

She glanced away, her face pained. “I… left a note hidden in Dorothea’s room explaining why I disappeared. She’s the only one I trust to understand my thoughts on it.”

Byleth nodded. “Let’s hope this plan works. Randolph seems reasonable. Nothing like the attackers who ambushed us when we met with Edelgard. Maybe Yuri was right, and they weren’t actually with the empire.”

“That would certainly make our current situation easier.”

The knock on the door alarmed them both. Byleth first thought it might be Randolph returning, but when he opened the door, he was in complete disbelief at who he saw.

The emperor herself stood before him, dressed much more casually than the last time he had seen her, though she still retained the elegance of a powerful leader.

Her eyes lit up when she saw him, and before he even realized what was going on, she embraced him. “Byleth. You… you decided to follow me after all.”

Byleth exchanged a concerned look with Ingrid before Edelgard released him. As Edelgard stepped back, she continued to look at him with the utmost respect.

“Edelgard, I… I didn’t realize you would be here. I’m glad you’re all right.”

She frowned. “Yes. I… hope you realize I had no intentions of hurting anyone at our last meeting.” She looked at him with determination. “To think we have enemies who would do such a thing is yet another reason we must fight for a new future.”

Byleth still did not agree with her methods, but nodded. He began regretting his choice to basically join the imperial army, even if it was just for a short time. Although at the same time, he hoped perhaps he could help convince Edelgard to find a more peaceful approach.

Edelgard took his hand, and began moving toward the door. “You will be given better quarters while we’re here. I cannot allow my newest advisor to stay in a room like this.”

 _Newest advisor?_ He supposed he was glad that Edelgard was not hostile toward him, but… he wasn’t expecting _this_. He glanced to Ingrid with concern, but she simply nodded at him in return, as if encouraging him to follow Edelgard’s wishes. “Thank you. I… appreciate it.”

Once Edelgard led him back into the hallway, he saw Hubert waiting for them. He gave Byleth a nod before guiding them both to the guest quarters. Edelgard did not let go of his hand.

“I knew of the knight woman from the kingdom,” Edelgard said as they walked through the fortress. “But when I heard _you_ had come as well… it gave us all great hope for the future. This is a very strategic position and it is imperative that we hold it. I have no doubts now that you’re with us.”

Byleth was flattered by the sincerity of her words, but doubted he’d be the powerful asset she saw him as. “I’m glad I can help,” he said, trying to be as vague as possible.

They finally reached his new quarters, most certainly nicer than the simple barracks, though still relatively small.

Edelgard finally released his hand. “This can be your room while we stay here. My room is directly adjacent.”

“Thank you,” he replied.

Edelgard nodded. “You are welcome to join us for meals. In the meantime, please rest.” She moved to her own room, but Hubert remained in place.

Immediately after Byleth stepped into his new room, Hubert appeared beside him.

“Did Yuri follow you here?” he asked.

Byleth was hit with a pang of sadness at the question. “No. I… left without telling him.” He had hoped to escape once the job Ingrid agreed to was over, but now that Edelgard had him… he wasn’t so sure. He looked back up at Hubert, who seemed content with his answer. “Why do you ask?”

“Let’s just say Count Rowe was surprised to hear I saw him at our last meeting.”

Byleth’s eyes widened. “Oh. The Count is here, too?” He recalled Yuri mentioning Count Rowe had once adopted him, but later disowned him. He did not know the details, but it seemed safe to assume they held little respect for each other.

“Yes. As long as he doesn’t show up, we should have no issues with the Count.”

Byleth nodded, though it made him feel even more uneasy about the situation. He had no idea how Yuri would react to his sudden disappearance, but he trusted he wouldn’t do anything rash. It just wasn’t like him to be rash.

“Glad we cleared that up. Oh, and please do not disappoint Her Majesty. She… thinks very highly of you.”

Byleth only hoped he would survive the following days.

* * *

Despite being treated almost like royalty, Byleth felt as though he were imprisoned.

When he saw Edelgard the following day, it was as though he had become her best and perhaps only friend. Instead of being left on his own, she basically kept him at her side at all times. On the plus side, he began to see a side of her that he had never seen before; in fact, he doubted hardly anyone saw that side of her. It made him wonder if he might get a better idea of why she chose the path she did.

It was that evening, however, when he had joined Edelgard in her room for tea when she really opened up to him.

Hubert was absent, which is why she perhaps decided to be more open with him. But either way, he was not expecting it.

“I must admit… when we met a while back, I was… devastated that you did not understand why I must continue this war. I know I said I would see you as an enemy, but, honestly I have never seen you that way. I don’t think I could ever see you that way.” She looked at him directly in the eyes and smiled. “To know that you eventually were swayed by my cause has brought me great relief.”

Her words brought Byleth relief as well. To know their past meeting was not a complete failure gave him some hope. “I’m glad to know that. I was reluctant to see you as an enemy also.”

“I… always wished you had been my professor back during the academy. I felt a connection to you almost immediately. It was as though I knew I could trust you.”

Byleth was surprised by her words. Edelgard was not one for showing emotions, but to think she felt that way the entire time… he wondered if maybe they could have negotiated peace sooner.

“The truth is… we share a crest. We are, perhaps, the only two people in existence with the crest of flames.”

Byleth felt his eyes widen. “I… thought you had the crest of Seiros?”

She glanced down. “I once had ten siblings. But of them all, only I remain. During my childhood, the prime minister was set on creating the most powerful emperor Adrestia had ever seen. My siblings and I all inherited the minor crest of Seiros, but an emperor with a major crest was what they desired.” She frowned. “So they locked us up and did blood experiments on us. One by one my siblings fell victim to the gruesome process, until I was the only one left. The only success.” She looked up at him, her expression serious. “I was left with two crests. I had gained the major crest of flames.”

Byleth blinked at her. “I… had no idea.”

“That is why I do not want the sacrifices of everyone who made me who I am go to waste. For this reason I must change the world. I will build a world where no such sacrifices are necessary.”

Byleth did not know how to respond. Although he admired her conviction and desire for a better world, he knew already that what she was doing only created more unnecessary sacrifices, even if they were different from the ones she related to. “I understand now,” he finally said.

She beamed at him. “I’m glad we understand each other so well.”

It was then Byleth realized why Edelgard felt so close to him when he did not feel at all close to her. She saw an idealized version of him--one that was not real, one that adhered to all her values, one that she related to and trusted. She did not understand him truly, and it appeared she was too blinded by her ideal vision of him to see who he really was and how he really thought.

It had become a situation Byleth was familiar with. Since joining the monastery, it seemed like everyone saw him as someone he wasn’t. In fact, it was rare that someone had tried to truly understand him. And for that, the first person to come to mind was Yuri.

He felt a pang of sadness at the thought, but pushed it aside as best as he could. “Yes,” he said, finally answering Edelgard.

“Once we complete the defenses here, Hubert and I will return to Enbarr. I would like for you to accompany us.”

Her tone made it sound more like a demand than an offer, so Byleth hesitated in speaking his true thoughts on the matter. “I appreciate the offer. Depending on how things go here, I will consider returning with you.”

She nodded. “It is your choice. I understand this is quite a strategic location. But…” she turned away, her face flushing slightly. “It is… very reassuring having you at my side.”

Byleth realized then that he would have many difficult decisions to make in the coming days.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i rewrote this chapter like 87 times and i'm still not 100% happy with it but it's good enough i guess.   
> it's also short but the next one will have more interesting stuff! 
> 
> (also slight tw, mentions of abuse but still T rated)

In the following days, things were mostly the same. He would spend time with Edelgard and Hubert, mostly just listening them talk about small things to take care of. He saw Ingrid occasionally as well. Apparently she was able to fit in quickly with the other soldiers, who gave her no trouble. Though, from what Byleth could tell, she was far from happy. He only hoped he could convince Edelgard to release her from service.

He was starting to run out of time, though. Edelgard had plans to leave in a few days, and he still couldn’t decide if he would go with her. He was about to return to his room for the evening to think on it when he got pulled into a meeting at the request of Edelgard. Apparently Count Rowe wanted an audience with the Emperor and Byleth was to accompany her.

Byleth had only heard a little about Count Rowe, and tried to keep an open mind. The fact that he apparently wanted nothing to do with Yuri was a bit of a red flag for him, but otherwise he did not know enough to form an opinion. Edelgard seemed neutral about the meeting, though she was often hard to read.

He stood next to her while Hubert remained by the door. The Count entered gracefully, bowing deeply to Edelgard. He was an older man of average height, and soft-spoken.

“Your Majesty, thank you for taking this time to speak with me,” he said politely.

Edelgard nodded. “Of course. Your loyalty to the empire has been a great asset.”

“I would like to bring something to your attention about Fhirdiad. I believe Cornelia might not be the most trustworthy in her position as leader of the Faerghus Dukedom.”

Edelgard frowned. “And why is that?”

“When I have sent correspondence to her, it appeared she went against your majesty’s wishes. I fear she does not have the best of intentions.”

Edelgard sighed. “Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I had feared this might eventually happen.” She pondered a moment, then glanced back at the Count. “Once we are done here, we will depart for Fhirdiad instead of Enbarr. I will address this myself. I would like for you to come as well, since you apparently have information about this situation.”

The Count bowed his head. “I would be honored, your majesty.”

“I will begin making preparations, Lady Edelgard,” Hubert said.

“Thank you, Hubert.” Then she turned to Byleth. “Your presence would be greatly appreciated as well.”

Before he could respond, there was a pounding on the door. Hubert immediately opened it, revealing a very worried Randolph.

“Your majesty! We caught an assassin within the fortress! One soldier is dead. We have him waiting in the dungeon.”

The way Edelgard sighed made Byleth realize this was not an unfamiliar occurrence. “I don’t have time to deal with this.”

Hubert nodded. “I will deal with this assassin, your majesty.”

Edelgard hesitated, growing even more annoyed. “No. I need your help with the situation in Fhirdiad.” Then she turned to Byleth and nodded. “I trust my capable advisor to deal with this.”

Byleth bowed slightly. “Of course.” He wasn’t exactly sure what he could do other than attempt to ask the intruder his intentions, but he figured he’d be much less cruel about it than Hubert.

“Thank you. Hubert, we have much to discuss.” With that, the emperor and her retainer left the room.

Count Rowe was about to leave also when Randolph stopped him. “Excuse me, my lord! The assassin we captured claims to know you. Perhaps you can help identify him?”

The Count looked at him curiously, then nodded. “I will accompany her majesty’s advisor.”

Byleth nodded in agreement, then Randolph bowed and departed. Then the Count led Byleth toward the dungeons of the fortress.

“You’re Byleth, correct?” the Count asked. “You are new among the emperor’s inner circle. It seems you are a good influence on her.”

“Yes. I’m… glad you think so.”

He nodded. “I see great things in your future.” He stopped before they entered the dungeons. “Now, for her majesty’s sake, let us deal with this assassin.”

Byleth continued to follow him through the dimly lit halls of the dungeons until they came upon a guarded cell. The Count dismissed the guards upon their arrival, taking the key of the cell for himself. Byleth found it odd, but went along with it anyway.

What alarmed him next was the Count’s sudden change in demeanor. As he gazed through the bars of the cell, his soft, kindly features turned to a scowl.

“I should have known it was you, mongrel.”

Byleth stepped closer to see what the assassin looked like, but froze in shock once he saw him.

Yuri stood in the cell, arms shackled together behind his back, glaring at the Count. “Been a while, hasn’t it?”

“I’m surprised you were so reckless as to get caught. You were my best assassin, after all.”

Yuri shrugged. “No one’s perfect.”

“Who sent you?”

“Some imperial noble. He wanted me to take out a new soldier who defected from the kingdom. He suspected her to be a spy. Not sure if she really was, but she’s dead now and I’m stuck here. I don’t suppose we can make a deal of some sort? Just like old times?”

Byleth frowned in confusion. He knew Yuri was lying, but he wasn’t entirely sure what he had planned. When the Count turned away briefly to ponder, Yuri gave Byleth a serious look, then shook his head faintly. Byleth nodded in return. He decided to just go along for now.

After a moment of thought, the Count opened the cell and stepped in, approaching Yuri slowly. “Perhaps I could use your services once more. I’ve been in need of a skilled assassin.”

“Name your price,” Yuri said flatly.

“Your freedom.”

Yuri huffed. “No gold? You’re getting stingy, old man.”

The Count grabbed the side of his face, making Yuri flinch.

“After all I’ve done for you? You should be grateful I’m even giving you this chance, mongrel.” Then he dug his nails into the side of Yuri’s face. “You’re lucky you have that pretty face of yours. Maybe my new friend here would be willing give you some coins for it.”

Any amount of confidence Yuri once had was gone. Instead he looked broken, his gaze downward. Byleth felt tormented just seeing it.

“What’s the job?” Yuri asked.

“I want you to kill Hubert, the emperor’s retainer.”

Yuri looked at him with confusion, but nodded anyway. “Sure.”

Then the Count turned to Byleth. “You will replace Hubert. That man is nothing but trouble for the empire. I’ve been watching you and I think you will be a good replacement. You deserve that power more than he does.”

At that moment, Byleth wished he was as good at acting as Yuri. He decided not to attempt a fake smile, and instead bowed his head slightly. “I am glad we agree on this.”

The Count smiled. “As do I.” Then he turned back to Yuri. “Tomorrow morning. Right at dawn. He will have just left his room. He must die then.” He shoved Yuri out of the cell before handing Byleth two keys. “Guest quarters, last room on the left. Lock him in there until it’s time. The second is for the shackles. Make sure he has what he needs.” 

Byleth was still recovering from the shock of everything that just happened, but managed to nod. “Understood.”

“Until it’s time for the job, he’s yours. Do whatever you want with him. But don’t let him leave the room.” He smirked. “Make him earn that gold he wants so badly.”

Byleth resisted the urge to scowl at him, trying his best to remain calm. “Understood,” he repeated, unsure of how to even respond to such a thing.

With that, the Count’s demeanor changed back to how it was before they entered the dungeon. He smiled kindly at Byleth, bowed his head, then left him alone with Yuri.

Byleth immediately turned to Yuri and began to unlock the shackles around his wrists. “Are you all right?”

Wrists free, he took Byleth’s hand. “Let’s get to the room. I’ll explain everything.” 

* * *

Once Byleth brought Yuri to the spare guest room the Count described, he pulled him into an embrace. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry about everything. I--”

“Don’t be,” he responded softly. “It’s fine.”

Byleth let go of him, glad to see Yuri smiling back at him. “Making a deal with the Count was part of my plan but… You don’t know how incredibly relieved I was to see you with him.”

The very thought that Yuri had voluntarily planned for that awful encounter made him feel a pang of sadness. “I’m glad I was there, too.” He frowned. “Even though it was hard to watch.”

“Yeah,” he said sadly. “Sorry you had to see that. He’s gotten... pretty cruel in his old age.” He moved to sit on the floor, leaning against the side of the bed. Aside from a small table, it was the only furniture in the room.

Byleth took a seat beside him. “Should we escape?”

“I guess I should explain. Basically, Dorothea found the note from Ingrid about why she came here. When I couldn’t find you anywhere, I figured you went with her, and I knew neither of you would be safe. So we made a plan. Claude would distract our Faerghus friends while Dorothea and I would leave to infiltrate the fortress and find the two of you. I pretended to kill Ingrid so she could escape, then intentionally got caught so I could find you.”

“So Ingrid escaped? She’s… all right?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Honestly, it was pretty easy, since I know this place pretty well. She found out the imperial army is going to send more troops to Faerghus and immediately ran off with Dorothea to send a warning to the villages.” He shook his head. “I’ve never seen her so determined. But, that’s on them, now. You, on the other hand, were much harder to find, especially since you suddenly became the emperor’s best friend.”

He sighed. “I was surprised about that, too. She… sees in me only what she wants to. I’m glad she’s not treating me like an enemy, but…” He shook his head. “I feel a bit trapped here.” He looked over at Yuri. “I’m sorry you had to go through all that, but, thanks. I really appreciate it.”

Yuri smiled. “I couldn’t just _leave_ you here. And the fact that you gained Edelgard’s trust means that it was at least a little worth it.”

“You… aren’t really going to kill Hubert, are you?”

He shook his head. “Of course not. I have another plan.”

Byleth looked at him expectantly. “What is it?”

“Before dawn, you’re going to leave the fortress. Follow the road toward the monastery until you reach the village nearby. Tell the innkeeper I sent you. I’ll catch up with you shortly after.”

“Why not go together?”

He hesitated. “There’s something I need to take care of first. Don’t worry about it for now. Just make sure no one sees you leave.”

Though he remained curious, he did not press further. “All right. Just… be careful.”

He nodded. “Honestly, this is going better than I thought. I’m lucky that the Count put you in charge of me.”

“I’m still surprised he suddenly trusted me.”

Yuri chuckled. “He chose you because he thinks you’re easy to manipulate. I thought the same when I first met you.”

Byleth blinked at him. “Really?”

“Yeah, you just have that look, you know? Like you’ll let anyone push you around. I was worried what the church was going to do with you at first.” He shrugged. “Turns out you’re just full of surprises. Like your acting back there. I was worried you’d give us away.”

Byleth sighed. “It wasn’t easy. I hated seeing him treat you like that.”

Yuri’s eyes went distance, his voice soft. “It didn’t bother me much. I’ve been through much worse.” Then he sighed. “Anyway, make sure you’re ready to escape, all right? There isn’t much time left.”

He nodded. “Of course.” He handed Yuri the key to the room. “Please… be safe.”

Yuri gently squeezed his hand. “I promise.”


	8. Chapter 8

Yuri did not usually give in to revenge when it was only about himself. He found it ultimately pointless, and sometimes harmful. But when it involved innocents, or people he cared about, things were different. This wasn’t just about him, anymore. Innocent lives were at risk. And that, more than anything, made him do what he was about to do. It was justice fueled by revenge.

He lurked the halls well before the sun had risen, armed with a sword and a knife that Byleth found for him before he escaped. When he arrived at the door he sought, he picked the lock and slowly swung it open.

There was no turning back now. This was his only chance.

He didn’t attempt to be quiet. He didn’t need to. In fact, he preferred if his target was awake to witness his fate. After walking a few steps in the dark, a lantern suddenly illuminated the room.

Yuri was pleased with what he saw. Count Rowe, still in his nightclothes, utterly baffled, fear in his eyes.

“What are you doing here?”

Yuri smiled. “I thought that was obvious.”

The Count narrowed his eyes, but Yuri still saw fear in them. “You will regret this. I--”

“Shut it, will you? Your voice makes me feel sick. I know all about your little schemes. I’m sure the emperor will be pleased to know about them.”

The fear was replaced with anger. “You useless whore. I should have killed you years ago.”

“But you didn’t. Because you _couldn’t_. You’re a helpless coward.” He smirked. “Also a poor judge of character. The guy you chose to replace Hubert? He happens to be a good friend of mine.”

His eyes widened, the fear returning. Yuri relished it.

He stepped forward, knife drawn. “I’ll make this quick. Even though you don’t deserve it.”

The Count tried to say something else, but it was too late. In one swift movement, Yuri slit his throat, then placed the knife on his chest. He wanted everyone to know just how he died.

Then he quickly searched the room for evidence of his schemes. It didn’t take long, and in a few minutes, he left the room with several letters and a journal. He moved swiftly down the hall to the room Hubert was staying in, then shoved the loose papers under the door.

With that, his job was done.

* * *

Ingrid walked with purpose as she moved northward. There was so much about the war that frustrated her, and her time with the imperial soldiers only intensified that frustration.

On both sides of the war, people mindlessly followed their leaders orders without even thinking about what they were doing. It turns out the empire valued the same blind loyalty as Faerghus, only it was presented slightly differently. She had absolutely no doubts that General Randolph and Rodrigue would be good friends had they ended up on the same side.

But she didn’t care anymore if Rodrigue or Randolph wanted to willingly sacrifice themselves for the sake of their ideals. It was their choice, after all. What she _did_ care about were the innocents that would be killed. The innocents, noble and commoner alike, who did not want this war, and who did not want to fight.

That is why she now moved hastily along the road, ready to warn the innocents of the impending attack. She just hoped they could flee in time.

“Ingrid!” Dorothea said, quickening her pace to walk beside her. “No need to move so fast! You’ll wear yourself out before we even make it to the next village.”

She slowed, feeling slightly embarrassed. “Sorry. You’re right. I just... feel like for once I can truly help people during this war.”

Dorothea smiled at her, reminding Ingrid how grateful she was to have her come along. “And for once, it’s your decision. Not someone else’s.”

She slowed to a halt. “I… yes. You’re right.” At first she had been devastated at the thought of what Rodrigue would think of her if he found out what she did. But now… her determination to do what she thought was right eliminated her past worries. She felt… free. With a smile, she looked over at Dorothea. “Thanks to you. You showed me how to be myself.” She nodded. “And you rescued me. I… I don’t think I’ve had such a wonderful friend before.”

Dorothea put her hand to her mouth in surprise. “Oh, Ingrid!” Then she moved forward, embracing her in a hug. “You’ve been such a wonderful friend to me, too.”

Ingrid felt her cheeks flush at the compliment. Her childhood friends would have never said something like that so genuinely. And it likely would have only been after she took the time to fix a troubling situation they got themselves into.

Dorothea released her, taking her hand. “Now, in the next village we really should get some better gear. I know you’re used to winters in Faerghus, but I’m already getting cold.”

Ingrid chuckled. “Sounds like a plan.”

* * *

By the time Yuri reached the village, he was exhausted.

He had expected to feel relief knowing Count Rowe could no longer hurt anyone, but instead it only dug up old memories he had wanted to keep buried. He had expected the weight to be lifted, but instead it felt as though more weight had been added.

He tried his best to push the thoughts aside when he entered the inn. Before even checking which room Byleth was in, he headed toward the baths with a fresh set of clothes.

Perhaps it was due to the lack of sleep, or lack of food, but he felt _cold_. Almost unnaturally so. It was different from the chilly winter wind outside; it was as though it came from within. Perhaps it was just in his head, but either way, he sat in the warm bath for a long while.

Then, after putting on the clean clothes that were decidedly too large, he went to talk to the innkeeper. There was a reason he chose this village in particular; aside from its proximity to the fortress, he knew the innkeeper well. After a quick chat with the innkeeper, he went up the stairs to the room, key in hand.

He moved sluggishly up the stairs, dwelling on the fact that any sleep he got would only be marred by nightmares. Despite that, he knew he wouldn’t be able to stay awake too long. 

He opened the door, finding Byleth sitting on one of the beds, empty bowl in his lap. He looked up, eyes wide, when Yuri entered. “You made it!”

Before Yuri could respond, Byleth had gotten to his feet and swiftly pulled him into an embrace. It was unexpected, and in his tired state, Yuri felt himself tense up. For a moment he almost forgot where he was, and as if by instinct, he almost pushed Byleth away.

Byleth immediately released him, and looked at him with concern. “Are you all right? Are you hurt?”

He took in a deep breath. “I’m fine. Sorry. I’m glad you made it here safely.”

Byleth looked at him a moment longer, then turned around. “I got you some food.” He grabbed a bowl off the bedside table and held it out to him. “Here.”

“Thanks.” Yuri gratefully took it, and sat down on one of the beds. It was then he noticed the other bed in the room was covered with supplies and gear for traveling, all neatly organized.

Byleth sat beside him as he ate, staying quiet.

When he was done eating, Yuri put the bowl aside and placed what few belongings he had with him on the bed with the other supplies. He paused a moment as he pulled out the Count’s journal, wondering if he should have just left it behind.

“You can use that bed if you want,” Byleth offered. “I meant to move that stuff elsewhere.”

Normally Yuri preferred to avoid sleeping in the same room as others, and when he did, he usually kept a knife at hand, just in case.

He glanced at the journal again, feeling the dark memories torment him once more. He very badly wished he was alone in the safety of his room in Abyss with a knife within reach, protected from the rest of the world.

Just as anxiety was starting to overwhelm him, he spotted Byleth standing next to him, eyes full of worry. He tried to calm himself, remembering who he was with. Someone who would never hurt him. Someone who only treated him with kindness and understanding. Someone who made him feel… _safe_.

He finally broke down at that moment, feeling a flood of emotions he had been holding back since leaving the fortress. Memories he had tried to rebury had only surfaced once more, adding to the swell of overwhelming feelings.

He stepped forward, pressed his face against Byleth’s shoulder, and let the tears flow.

Byleth held him gently in return, remaining quiet. Eventually the tears stopped, and Yuri tried his best to compose himself. He took a step back, wiping the tears from his eyes.

“Sorry,” he said sheepishly, glancing away with embarrassment. He hated others seeing him appear so weak, but this time he couldn’t avoid it.

Byleth reached out slowly and brushed hair out of his face. “Yuri,” he said softly, placing a hand on his cheek. “I’m always here for you.”

His hand felt warm on his cheek, a stark contrast from the coldness he felt. “Thanks.”

Byleth retracted his hand, looking at him with concern. “You should get some rest.”

He didn’t need to be convinced. He nearly collapsed into the bed that was free of clutter, relishing the chance to finally relax. He gathered what blankets were there, curling up for warmth.

The cold persisted, but his need for sleep was greater. Just as he was beginning to drift off, he felt someone place more blankets over him. When he opened his eyes, he saw Byleth move beside him, wrapping the blankets around them both. 

Yuri wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close, resting his head against his chest. For the first time in days he felt warm and… _safe_. “Thanks.”

Byleth kissed the top of his head. “Of course.”

* * *

The first village they came across was surprisingly quiet. Even when they stopped to get supplies and warmer clothes, the shopkeeper seemed almost paranoid. Ingrid decided not to warn him just yet. In fact, it seemed they might already be aware of potential imperial soldiers.

“This place seems so… on edge,” Dorothea remarked as they left the shop and moved toward the inn.

“I noticed, too,” Ingrid replied.

The inn was much the same; only a few patrons were in the main hall, and none looked like travelers. In fact, Ingrid wondered if they were residents of the village.

“You mercenaries?”

Ingrid turned to see a gaunt woman, likely the innkeeper, staring back at her. Before she could respond, Dorothea replied.

“Oh no, just travelers passing through.”

The woman nodded. “Figures. The inn’s been filling up with people who lost their homes on account of bandit raids, but we still got some space. Normally we’d have mercenaries take care of them but that high ranking noble took them all.” She sighed.

“That’s awful!” Dorothea exclaimed.

“A real shame. Some of those Duscur miscreants are still wandering around claiming to be mercenaries, but they can’t be trusted.”

Ingrid felt her eyes widen at the comment. She realized she might have said something similar years ago, but after her time at the academy with Dedue, her opinion of the Duscur people changed drastically. And based on some things she had heard over the past five years, she started to doubt the people of Duscur had anything to do with the late king’s death. As badly as she wanted to tell the innkeeper how wrong it was to say such things, she kept herself calm. “We’ll keep an eye out for trouble.” 

With that, they paid for a single night and went up to their room. It was simple but sufficient: a cramped room with two small beds.

After Dorothea closed the door, she looked at Ingrid seriously. “Something seems strange about all this. A high ranking noble gathering an army of mercenaries?”

Ingrid nodded. “I agree. It almost seems like…”

“Rodrigue.”

Ingrid sighed. “I’d like to think he wouldn’t stoop that low, but… it seems likely.”

“He must be planning an attack after all.”

Ingrid sat down on one of the beds, feeling hesitant about the idea of chasing after him. "Do you think we should confront him?”

Dorothea sat across from her on the other bed, shaking her head. “Whether it’s Rodrigue or some other noble, it doesn’t matter. I think our efforts would be better spent warning the villages instead. They don’t have a choice in this. And it’s still winter. They will need time to prepare if they are going to flee.”

Ingrid smiled, pleased with her answer. “I agree. You’re more reasonable than any knight I’ve met.”

She laughed. “Well, I wasn’t expecting to ever be compared to a _knight_.”

“I mean it,” Ingrid said. “Knights talk about sacrifice all the time. But it’s always sacrifice for the nobility or the king. For glory and honor. But… you want to risk your life to make a difference for the common people. Without any recognition.”

Dorothea smiled sadly. “That’s just how it is for a lot of people. You fight to survive, then fight to help others survive if you can. It’s not about honor, or ideals. Just… helping people survive.”

Ingrid nodded thoughtfully. The idea still seemed foreign to her, but to hear Dorothea speak so plainly about it “I see. I… think I understand. Well, either way I’m glad we’re in this together.”

She chuckled. “Me, too. Maybe if we’re lucky our other friends will show up to help us.”

Ingrid felt unease at the thought. “I’m a bit doubtful that Byleth will make it out of Edelgard’s sight. And knowing how he is, it seems likely he’d want to stay with her to try and change her mind about the war.”

Dorothea shook her head. “I’m not worried. I doubt Yuri would need to convince him to escape. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if they already made it out together.”

“Even after becoming the emperor’s advisor? That’s a pretty nice position of influence.”

She waved a hand dismissively. “You know he’s not into politics.” Then she smiled slyly. “Besides, you can’t underestimate the power of love.”

Ingrid frowned in confusion. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

She laughed. “I’m surprised you haven’t noticed. But, don’t worry about it. For now, let’s just get some rest. Sounds like we’ll be pretty busy for a while.”

* * *

Byleth awoke to a light shove.

At first he ignored it, for his desire for sleep was greater than his concern for whatever prodded him. In the warmth of the bed, he started to drift away again, only to be startled awake when he heard his name.

“Byleth?”

It was then he opened his eyes, finding Yuri kneeling beside the bed, staring back at him. “You finally awake?”

Byleth sat up slowly, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah. Sorry.”

Yuri smiled--a welcome sight considering the state he was in the previous day. “I can see now why you were asleep for five years. I was about to go get some cold water to pour on you.”

Byleth glanced down sheepishly. “My father had to do that sometimes when I was younger.”

Yuri laughed. “Well, I’ll keep that in mind.” Then sat on the edge of the bed. “I… got an interesting report this morning. From Abyss.”

Byleth blinked at him, worried what he would say next.

“Apparently all our friends left. Even Dimitri and Claude.”

“Did the report say where they went?”

“Claude’s wyvern was seen moving toward Alliance territory. Rodrigue and Gilbert left a day before them, no word on where they were headed.” He sighed. “Faerghus seems most likely. Let’s just hope they aren’t getting themselves into trouble.”

Byleth frowned. “Should we… look for them?”

Yuri shrugged. “It’s up to you.”

Byleth pondered a moment. “Rodrigue and Gilbert I can understand, since they had plans to leave anyway. But sounds like Claude might be planning something.”

“I agree. I trust him to do what he thinks is best. It’s the other two I’m worried about. Probably headed to Fhirdiad to make things worse.”

“I… have a feeling Edelgard might be headed to Fhirdiad also,” Byleth commented.

He tilted his head. “Really, now? That certainly makes this interesting.”

“I think I should go there, too.”

Yuri nodded, though Byleth could tell he seemed uneasy. “Do what you think is best.”

Byleth moved to the edge of the bed, sitting beside him. “You don’t have to come with me if you don’t want to. I know I’ve already put you through a lot these past few days.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said softly. “I’m just glad you’re safe.” Then he turned to him and smiled. “And of course I’ll go with you.”

Despite the smile, Byleth saw a glimpse of his melancholy return. “Are you… feeling better?”

He glanced down, his voice quiet. “Yeah. Sorry you had to see that side of me.”

“You don’t need to apologize. I meant it when I said I’m always here for you. No matter what you’re feeling.”

Yuri looked up at him with a smile, his cheeks slightly flushed. “Thanks. Same goes for you. I’m always here for you.” Then he glanced away. “Just… don’t go randomly disappearing on me again, all right?”

He took Yuri’s hand. “I promise. And I don’t want you to sacrifice your safety just for my sake.”

Yuri chuckled. “Not sure if I can promise that. You’re pretty important, after all. But… It’s good to know you care about me.”

Byleth was surprised at his words. Did he not think he cared that much…? It made the guilt return, making him think back on all his actions. He thought he had expressed it well enough, but then again he knew he often had a hard time expression his emotions. And he really did have Yuri go through a lot just to rescue him. “I care about you a lot,” he replied emphatically, feeling his face become warm. “In fact I… I love you.”

Yuri stared at him in stunned silence, eyes wide. For a moment Byleth started to regret saying anything at all. Maybe it was best if it had kept it to himself. Yuri didn’t need to be burdened with these kinds of feelings from him. 

Just when the silence was starting to become unbearable, Yuri smiled. “You really mean that, don’t you?”

Byleth felt his embarrassment rising. “Yes. I… I realize I’m not good at showing it but--”

He was interrupted when Yuri placed a hand on his cheek, guiding his face toward his own. “I love you too, Byleth.”

Before Byleth could respond, Yuri kissed him. It was different than the previous times; this time there was no hesitation, no doubts, no nervousness. It just felt… _right_.

When they separated, Yuri smiled back at him, his face flushed. “You really are adorable.”


End file.
